What is Transformation?
I recently read an article in The Economist about Jim Collins, the author of Built to Last, Good to Great, and, most recently, Great by Choice. The piece reviewed the merits of Collins’s overarching point of view — that greatness is largely a matter of choice and discipline — relative to other approaches including a transformative one. What surprised me wasn’t the comparison of disciplined and steady versus an aggressive agenda, but rather that transformation was painted with a ‘trash and burn’ brush. It got me thinking: What do we know...
read moreTaking a Leap
The act of going from where you are to a higher, more valuable level is often expressed in a number of funny ways: Breaking through. Getting to a new level. Making big strides. But, the one I like best is taking a leap. Taking a leap captures the emotion in doing something dramatically different. It’s exhilarating, but it’s also a bit scary. To make a bold move you have to get out of your comfort zone. You have to get beyond the status quo. Which means you have to get off the current path even if that path has attractive upswings. Most organizations operate off of an ‘S’ curve, which...
read moreThe Road to Value (Part 1)
Much is written about value. Even more is said about it. Value just might be the most overused word in business today. At the organization level, we hear about customer value, shareholder value, and enterprise value. At the department level, Product Management wants its products to be perceived as good value not high cost. Sales wants to sell from value rather than feature/functions. And, Marketing is measured on the value of leads and brand equity. Even support departments like Finance, IT and HR strive for value. Finance wants positive returns of value for capital deployed. IT must...
read moreMotivation
Do you ever wonder about motivation? Now is certainly the time of year when many of us reflect on where where we’ve been and where we’re going. Reflection is good, after all. But, do you ever consider why you’re motivated to do certain things? Do you wonder what’s driving you? When I look at my friends I see a group of highly motivated people. Some are starting something new — most with nothing more than the desire to bring an idea to life. Others are working in established organizations — usually stimulated by what remains possible despite good success under their...
read moreIBM Acquires Platform Computing. Whatever.
By Thomas Butta, NY Business Strategies Examiner Writers Note: This post is about what’s possible for those of you facing an opportunity to accelerate your organization to a higher level of value. It showcases a company that had the courage to challenge the status quo and heavy-duty competition. The story is longer than normal, but it’s a compelling case study that needs room to unfold. Did you catch the news of IBM’s latest software acquisition a few weeks ago? Business as usual for Big Blue? Certainly. But, who and what is Platform Computing? Click here to find out. We had the same...
read moreSpeed Matters Blog
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